The present invention relates generally to the management of transiently connected network clients.
Each device connected to a computer network is typically assigned a unique machine-readable internet protocol (IP) network address. In addition, if the device is a computer, each individual application or client running on the computer that receives data over the network is assigned a specific “port”. To direct data through the network to the client, a device needs to determine the IP network address and port of the receiving application. Since the machine-readable IP network addresses are complex and difficult to remember, distribution schemes typically employ an associating function, such as a table, to associate a name, i.e., a human language name understood by an administrator or user, with the machine-readable IP network address. The association function is conventionally maintained on a network server.
One problem with data delivery to a network client is that conventional distribution schemes do not automatically handle transient clients, e.g., applications that are only intermittently active on a computer or devices that are connected only intermittently to the network. If the particular client is inactive or is not connected to the network, there will be an error when the device attempts to send data to the client. In addition, if the IP network address for the client changes, a human administrator must manually alter the association table. Although this system is practical if the IP network address for each device is fixed, many network systems do not assign fixed IP network addresses. The administration of such networks can become prohibitively expensive.
A specific example of this problem occurs in the distribution of data from a scanner to a workstation over a computer network. A computer network installed at a commercial business office typically includes a large number of workstations, e.g., one workstation for each employee, but a more limited number of scanners, e.g., one scanner per floor. If a user wishes to direct output from the scanner to a specified application at a specified workstation, the scanner or the computer to which the scanner is connected must be programmed by a human administrator with the IP address of the workstations and the port number of the application.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a system which enables electronic output to be directed to transient clients on a network with minimal administrator maintenance.